(Introduction)Back in November of last year I attended an IPMS Show called MarauderCon. It took place down in Harve De Grace, Maryland
and was run by the Baltimore and Washington D.C. IPMS Chapters.

I had initially planned on attending just as a vendor, in my ongoing attempt to reduce my excessive modeling "collection" (hoard).
However, at the last minute I decided to take several of my built-up models with me for the contest.

Due to some unforeseen circumstances I ultimately ended up arriving close to an hour and a half late at the show.
(However, arrive I ultimately did). 15 minutes later I was set up at my vendor table.

I was in attendance with some of my fellow Delaware Valley Scale Modeling Club Members, (Philly's chapter of IPMS):
Bob Cioni, Joe Vatallana, Mike Turco and Gary. In addition, our club Prez Paul Tomczak was there. He had decided earlier in
the year to attend primarily as a vendor, in order to sell off some of the extra model kits our club had acquired.

Paul had also brought his camera with him, and was kind enough to take pictures of some of the entries in the Sci-fi
& Fantasy categories for me, (since I had left my camera at home). They are included below. (Thanks, Paul).

(The Contest)I brought 3 of my own models for the contest, along with 2 figure models I had inherited from 2 friends.

Because the hosting clubs were IPMS Chapters, their contest was run in the more traditional 1st, 2nd, 3rd place format,
(as opposed to the more opened gold/silver/bronze format many modeling shows use). As a result, the competition is much stiffer,
since your entry competes not just against itself for recognition, but also against any and all other models entered in the same
category; there is just one 1st, one 2nd and one 3rd place award given for each category.

(My Star Wars AATs)Ok, (now that I've laid the groundwork and set the stage) I brought two Star Wars AAT battle tanks. The first was a "stock"
version, with very little extra detailed added:

For the crab, I had
literally spent the past 3 or 4 or so years working on it (off and on) before finally getting it complete earlier in the year.
(My two Star Wars tanks were probably finished back in 2003. What can I say? I'm a slow "model-completer").

(Additional Sci-Fi Entries)There was very good coverage of the Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror vehicular and figure categories in the contest.

There was a HUMUNGOUS 1:144 scale Dendrobium out on display:

There was also a MASSIVE,
really S-W-E-E-T Gundam Kshatriya built up and painted in a very nice, two or three tone purple color scheme:

It ultimately ended up
taking the Judges Best-of-Show…

...It also took the Popular Choice Best-of-Show!

...I was a bit surprised over this, since this WAS a "traditional" IPMS Show, along with there being a WHOLE LOT
of more tradition modeling entries in the contest, (many of which were well deserving of either award).

(The Kshatriya nevertheless was very nice!)

(Additional Mechs on display)There were a handful of additional Mechs, (Mechanized Giant Robots), out on display:

(Awards)Ultimately the Sci-Fi Vehicle category was split, and guess what??? MY CONVERTED AAT TOOK A THIRD PLACE AWARD AND MY ARMORED CRAB
TOOK A SECOND PLACE AWARD!!!!!!! (OH YEAH, OH YEAH, OH-YEAH-OH-YEAH-OH-YEAH!!)

I tell ya, it's nice, r-e-a-l-l-y n-i-c-e to get some modeling love on models which you've done.

That second place award was particularly rewarding because this was the fifth modeling contest I've entered the crab in to date:
1) This year's MFCA Show - a Certificate of Merit!
2) This year's Wonderfest Show - Nadia, Zilch! NOT-A-DURNED-THING award wise!
3) This year's PennCon Show - Either a Bronze or a Silver Award
4) This year's JerseyFest Show - A SILVER (YEAAAA!)5) ...And finally the recent Marauder Con Show - ANOTHER SILVER AWARD!

(Summary)The show turned out to be a really good one. With respect to the contest overall, I heard that the club
members were very pleased with the turnout, (556).

They were sooooo pleased with the overall show's performance that there was talk of them holding their next
show in 2017, as opposed to continuing with their every other year format.

Overall I did OK model-sales wise, making enough to cover the trip's expenses, along with giving me some extra
spending money. (More money to buy more models, right???)

However the "Atta-Boy!", good vibe I received from my Third and Second Place Awards made me glad, really glad that I attended.

Now, to bottle up those good modeling vibes and use them to energize my on again, off again model building activity.